Monday, March 9, 2009

Something Old, SOmething New

Thanks for all the kind words and prayers this last week. I am sorry I was a little out of touch. I think I said my last goodbye this afternoon to family so things should be getting back to normal, just in time for the wedding season. So where do we get this fun tradition?

Something old,

something new

Some thing borrowed,

something blue

And a silver sixpence in her shoe. (this line is often omited now days).A sixpence is a coin that was minted in Britain from 1551 to 1967. It was made of silver and worth six pennies. So this wedding tradition is definitely English. It may date back to the Victorian era.Each item in this poem represents a good-luck token for the bride. If she carries all of them on her wedding day, her marriage will be happy. "Something old" symbolizes continuity with the bride's family and the past. "Something new" means optimism and hope for the bride's new life ahead. "Something borrowed" is usually an item from a happily married friend or family member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride. The borrowed item also reminds the bride that she can depend on her friends and family.As for the colorful item, blue has been connected to weddings for centuries. In ancient Rome, brides wore blue to symbolize love, modesty, and fidelity. Christianity has long dressed the Virgin Mary in blue, so purity was associated with the color. Before the late 19th century, blue was a popular color for wedding dresses.And finally, a silver sixpence in the bride's shoe represents wealth and financial security. It may date back to a Scottish custom of a groom putting a silver coin under his foot for good luck. For optimum fortune, the sixpence should be in the left shoe. These days, a dime or a copper penny is sometimes substituted, and many companies sell keepsake sixpences for weddings. You may want to check out coin shops as well, many big cities have them. There are a couple in the Austin area that usually have the old sixpence still, but expect to pay more then six pennies for it now.

Care to share what your items were or will be?

My old was the pearls I got from my grandfather. They were my grandmothers.

My new was my dress

My borrowed was a locket charm with my hubbies picture as a boy in it. I pinned it inside my dress. My mother in law let me borrow it.

My blue was a ribbon on my garter

My sixpence was not. I wanted one but never got around to finding one. I could have done a penny but seemed pointless.